Name
Frederick Cain
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/07/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19447
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOUCHY-LES-AYETTE BRITISH CEMETERY
III. B. 21.
France
Headstone Inscription
NOT LOST, BUT GONE BEFORE
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock, Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin
Pre War
Frederick Cain was born in Hitchin in 1890, the son of Samuel and Hannah Cain (nee Davis) and one of five children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 60 Old Park Road, Hitchin. His parents, Samuel (33) and Hannah (33), were both working as tailors. Their children were Charles S (9), Percy (7), Florence H (5), Winifred V (3) (also known as Minnie) and Frederick aged 10 months.
His father died in December 1894 and his mother in June 1900, leaving their eldest son, Charles, as the head of the family and on the 1901 Census the five siblings were living together at 4 Kent Place, Union Road, Hitchin with 19 year old Charles as head of the household and working as a tailor, and brother Percy working as a hairdresser. They all remained at the same address in 1911, except Percy who was then a boarder living in East Grinstead and working as a hairdresser. Twenty year old Frederick was working as a grocer’s assistant for W.B. Moss the provisions merchants at their premises in Baldock. He was also an enthusiastic footballer and had been educated at Hitchin Boys British School at Grammar School Walk in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in February 1915 in Bedford and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment. They trained at Ampthill Park before being sent to France. He arrived in France on 3 November 1915 where he joined the 1st Battalion which was part of the 15th Brigade in the 5th Division.
The 1st Battalion was a few miles south of Arras at the time of his death and was about to move up to the Somme area. Frederick was killed on 2 July 1916 when a bomb accidentally exploded and he was killed instantly. Four others were seriously hurt and five slightly injured in the incident.
He was originally buried at Wailly Military Cemetery, but as part of the concentration of graves after the war his body was exhumed and re-buried at Douchy-Les-Ayette British Cemetery, France. He was identified by the cross erected on his grave.
Additional Information
His brother Charles received a war gratuity of £6. Pay owing of £8 0s 10d was divided between brothers Charles and Percy and sisters Florence and Winifred.
Charles ordered Frederick's headstone inscription which reads “NOT LOST, BUT GONE BEFORE” and he was then living at 17 Victoria Road, Hitchin, Herts.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Paul Johnson, Jonty Wild
